Genesis 38:10

But what he did was evil in the Lord's sight, so he also put Onan to death.

Free Bible Version

In The King James Version

And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.

In Context

9Onan realized that any children he had wouldn't be his own, so whenever he slept with his brother's wife he made sure she wouldn't become pregnant by withdrawing and spilling his semen on the ground. In this way he prevented any children being born on behalf of his brother.

11Then Judah told his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Go to your father's house and live there as a widow until my son Shelah grows up.” For he thought, “Maybe he'll die too, just like his brothers.” So Tamar went and stayed in her father's house.

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Cross References

Genesis 46:12The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. However, Er and Onan died in Canaan. The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.

Numbers 22:34“I have sinned because I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me,” Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “So if this isn't what you want, I'll go back home.”

1 Samuel 2:25If a man sins against someone, God can intercede for him; but if a man sin against the Lord, who is going to intercede for him?” But they didn't pay attention to what their father said, for the Lord was planning to put them to death.

1 Kings 17:20Then he cried out to the Lord, saying, “Lord my God, why have you allowed this to happen to this widow who has opened her home to me, this terrible tragedy of causing her son to die?”

1 Chronicles 21:7The Lord considered the census a bad thing to do and he punished Israel for it.

Proverbs 24:18otherwise when the Lord sees it, he'll be unhappy with you and won't punish your enemies as he planned.

Matthew Henry on Genesis 38:2-12

Judah's Profligacy. ( b. c. 1717.) 1 And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. 2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her. 3 And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er. 4 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan. 5 And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at… Read the whole commentary →

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